Gwanu
by SilmeLaure
Summary: While out for a walk, our two heros find themselves... facing a rather unique set of circumstances. Will they figure out all the strangeness around them? Third in the Leaf Chronicles series.
1. 1 New Acquaintance

Gwanw

1_Gwanw_

"_Im uachas Gwanu, e isto Gwanu"_

"Come, hurry let us get of this rain my friend," the figure called to this companion through the downpour.

"I ... I do not know about this! This is a strange town, and strange weather, and a strange inn, with probably strange people in the strange inn..." The Elf, for they were Elves, who was sick of the rain took no notice of his friend's rant, pushing open the door to the small, but homely, inn.

".. CARMELOR!! You--are--not--listening--to--_me_!!" The exasperated Elf's hood fell down against his back as they entered the inn, revealing a pale youth with golden hair.

"You are correct Aravilui. I am not listening to you, not one little bit. I am listening to my skin begging for dryness, my stomach begging for food, my throat begging for drink, but I am not listening to you," replied Carmelor quickly with a hint of mirth in his voice. He sighed happily, pushing back his hood, revealing slightly darker skin and silver hair; he was a bit taller then his companion. Carmelor walked up to the bar looking for the innkeeper.

"Hello? Anyone there?" The silver haired Elf called out. Looking around, the inn was empty but kept up, a fire roared in the fireplace and the smell of delicious food hung in the air.

Aravilui started to speak, "Oh well, no one is here in the strange inn, guess we will have go--"

He was interrupted by a silky, deep voice. "Well met my Elves, do you seek board for the night?"

Both Elves turned around startled to face a very tall man... or was he an Elf? It wasn't clear. Long black hair that seemed to gleam purple or blue at the angle of the firelight flowed down his back. His face was almost unbelievably pale and age seemed impossible to pick up on a long unreadable face. Strangest of all were his eyes, unlike any either of the Elves had either seen. They were pale grey to the point of seeming... white... but that couldn't be.

Carmelor and Aravilui stood in silence staring at him, taken away, unbelieving such a being would be running an inn of all things. "May I help you?" he prompted.

"Y...yes... we would like room and board for the night please... uh sir?" Carmelor finally spat out.

"Yes, of course you would," the man said softly. As an afterthought he added, "You may call me Ban, please, follow me."

Both Elves looked at each other mystified and followed Ban into the cozy halls of the inn, unsure what to expect.


	2. 2 Odd Weather

"I do not like this I do not like this I do not like this I do not like this," muttered Aravilui as he paced in their room

"I do not like this I do not like this I do not like this I do not like this," muttered Aravilui as he paced in their room. Rain drummed against the windowpane as thunder rumbled in the distance.

"I... I mean I have this feeling... something's not right here... why was this the only place in town with its lights on? This town is not so small... gah!" The blond Elf cried out as lightning struck right outside the window with a heart-stopping clash.

The world outside went white and something seemed to move in the terrifying brilliance. Just then the door opened loudly and Ban entered in making both Elves jump. Carmelor laughed "Ah, Ban, you startled us. We thought we saw something outside for a moment. Uh... what do you need?"

Ban was silent for a moment; a look of… was it worry on his face?

"Yes, the weather can play odd tricks on the mind. I came to see if you would like your beds warmed?" he asked, sweeping past them and covering the window with a curtain in a fluent almost unnoticeable motion.

"No we are fine, thank you," Aravilui shot in "And we will not need anything else this night either, goodnight!"

Ban lifted an eyebrow but said nothing and nodded gliding swiftly out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"I want to leave Carmelor." Aravilui's voice was forcibly soft and calm. "I have a bad feeling."

Carmelor looked up at him. "As do I, but mine tells me that is why we should stay. Ban is odd but there is something about him… Aravilui, when night and rain started to fall I was leading us towards a larger town with all lights on... but then we ended up here... I know not how and _that _worries me more then Ban… that and what I saw and sensed in the lightning a moment ago…"

Aravilui fell silent, for he too had seen what Carmelor had. "I... I do not feel safe anywhere here… this whole place feels wrong, almost… dare I say it? Evil."

To Aravilui's surprise Carmelor nodded. "I know Aravilui, which is why I fear more then anything the world outside this inn right now. No matter what may happen, promise me you will not step out this inn tonight."

"Oka… wait, WHAT? What do you mean, 'no matter what may HAPPEN'?!" Aravilui now quivered.

"Carmelor," he almost whispered. "What is going on?"

Carmelor looked at Aravilui sadly. "I am afraid I do not know, and I am just afraid as well."

The night was passing, if it could be called passing, unbearably slowly. An hour ago maybe Carmelor and Aravilui had tried to get some sleep and found they could not do it. A deep base instinct told them letting their guards down would be the worst thing they could possibly do.

Aravilui sighed fighting off the sick feeling that had been building in his stomach for the past few hours. Thunder shook the room and his eyes wondered automatically to the window.

"Hey…" he started slowly "...When was the curtain drawn…?"

Carmelor shrugged "I do not know."

"It was open, Carmelor," persisted the blond Elf, "remember we saw the… lightning strike… and then Ban _burst_ into the room uninvited and then just now... the window, it is covered.."

Carmelor rolled his eyes "Do you _want _to open it, Ara? It looked to me as if you were afraid of the storm," he said smiling, but it was a forced smile.

"I, you... you were afraid too and--" Aravilui stopped short as the sound of glass cracking split the room. His eyes grew wide and he turned to Carmelor.

The silver haired Elf no longer could nor cared about hiding his fear as a growling, like that of a starved animal, joined the cracking. Carmelor wasn't sure why but he was compelled forward, his hand reaching out to the curtain and shaking as he clutched the fabric. It felt so cold... not the fabric, nor was it like wind, it felt like ice ran through his veins going from his hand up through his arm and spreading through his body.

He tugged back the cloth in a swift motion….

Footsteps slammed down the hall outside, but that was lost to the two Elves, everything was. They could only stare in terror, unsure of what they were starting at but pure evil. Then the lightning struck again, the window. In the white brilliance the window burst open to a deafening silence. The light was painful, it was nothing and it surrounded them, searing their flesh, and senses.

The door slammed open to their room the something cold grabbed the two Elves from behind as darkness weaved through the killing light, wrapping the Elves in calm and then nothingness.


	3. 3 Where are we?

The Elves awoke slowly in a warm place

The Elves awoke slowly in a warm place. The terror of... was it moments or hours ago… had gone, and they lay on a smooth surface, not the wooden floor of the inn.

Slowly Carmelor opened his eyes. They were in a huge hall; the floor they lay on was black marble as were the walls and ceiling. Amazing tapestries hung from the walls--they seemed so real, as if they almost moved and lived themselves. The sound of a fire crackling could be heard not far in the distance, and its heat radiated even this far down the hall. The silver haired Elf rose slowly to his feet.

Aravilui lay with his eyes shut. He was awake like Carmelor, but did not care to see where he was, or anything else. Finally as he heard the taller elf shift and get up he sighed and pushed himself up, taking in the same sight.

For a moment neither Elf knew what to say, as they looked around once more. Finally Aravilui spoke.

"Carmelor... where are we?" he asked quietly.

"I do not know," Carmelor admitted in a soft voice. "But shall we go further in? There sounds like there is a warm fire ahead."

Even to his own surprise, Aravilui nodded. For some reason, he could not feel as worried about this strange new place as he knew he should.

"Carmelor," he started, "I feel odd, like... like I am not whole."

Aravilui was not entirely sure what he was trying to say, only that he felt he needed to say it. And Carmelor understood and nodded.

Together the two Elves walked forward, their feet, for some reason, making absolutely no sound against the marble floor, unusual even for soft footed Elves. Finally they came to a turn where the black marble glowed a warm red from the fire. Turning the corner, they came onto a large room. The ceiling was higher set and larger, with even more beautiful tapestries hung on the walls. At the far end, across from them, there were three great windows, all looking out to a clear stormless night. They saw brilliant stars out of the windows; most curiously, though, it wasn't as if they had to look up to see the stars, it was as if they were among them. In the first window the starts shone the brightest as if newly created jewels, in the second the stars were more like the ones that hung over their own sky, and in the third the stars were the dimmest and a red tint took the sky.

They walked into the room, Carmelor first. In front of the fireplace was a loom and by it were two people. Both were tall and fair. The man was pale, and long silver hair fell down his back, but it was not like Carmelor's; it looked more like real silver, mithril. His face was kind and ageless, his eyes deep yet almost unfocused, and a smile played at the corners of his lips. The women was also tall though slightly less. Dark, slightly wavy hair was bound at her neck and flowed down her back. Her eyes were dark and quick, and she had a look as though she knew them.

The man walked forward and bowed. "Well met," he said in a silky voice. The woman nodded.

"Where are we?" asked Aravilui, Carmelor looked at his friend, shocked at the boldness, especially from his shy, silent friend. Aravilui continued, "We were in Ban's inn and then… _that_ happened and we wound up here..."

"You are in Ban's house now," replied the man. "He brought you here to keep you safe. I am Irye, his brother, and this is Ryia, his wife." She nodded again. "Welcome."

Carmelor felt urgent tugging on his sleeve. "Carmelor, CAR-ME-LOR!!" Aravilui hissed "Do you_... notice_ something about these... people?"

Carmelor sighed. "Here we go again. Aravilui, drop it. I do not know what just happened but I do know I am surprised and grateful to be alive so do not start something please," he said, shaking his head.

"Do they not remind you of-!!--" Aravilui started too loudly. Meeting Irye's eyes, he stopped dead.

"What? Do they remind me of what?" urged Carmelor giving Aravilui a strange look.

The blond Elf nodded his head "I... do not... um, I forgot what I was saying..." he put his hands to his head. "Ah void!"

Irye gave Ryia a look and smiled. "Let me show you to your room," she said softly to the two elves. They exchanged glances and followed her back down the black marble hallway.

The room was larger then that of a lord's and almost more decadent. "They must like... black," Carmelor commented. The room's floors, walls, and ceiling were again black marble. A large window looked out to a starry sky they seemed to be in and deep red curtains hung to either side. Two beds were set at either side with the same dark red velvet material. On the headboards were carved two depictions with the most detail either had ever seen. On one was a scene of Rivendell so real it seemed to capture the heart of the valley, and on the other bed a scene of Mirkwood of the same craftsmanship. Even amazed by the luxury of the room the two found themselves tired.

Carmelor retired to the bed with the Rivendell headboard, and Aravilui to the bed with Mirkwood. Both fell into Elven sleep with the comfort of their homes on their hearts and minds dreaming of the places they already missed.


	4. 4 How to get home?

When they awoke the sky was bathed and gold yet still the stars shone as brightly as ever

When they awoke the sky was bathed with gold yet still the stars shone as brightly as ever. Carmelor lay contented on his bed, covering his face with a pillow to block out the light when he heard Aravilui gasp. The blond elf had woken and upon the wall close to his bed was a tapestry long as the wall itself. It was of Mirkwood, specifically where he had dreamed of in Mirkwood last night, an area of the forest he loved to hunt in. Carmelor arose and found on his side was a tapestry of a waterfall of Rivendell, a place he often went to so he could draw and be lost in his dreams. Both were lost for words staring at the tapestries in wonder as time slipped by unnoticed.

Time wore by, immeasurable save by the number of tapestries that appeared each time they slept.

Aravilui looked around sighing softly in the gold bathed room "Five on each side... we have been here about a week... I think, Carmelor."

Carmelor nodded. "Maybe, I really cannot tell," he sighed looking at the tapestries on his side of the large room.

"They look so real, like I could walk into it and be home again," The silver hair elf commented quietly, Aravilui nodding sadly. They did not know where they were, and they were grateful, but they missed home.

In that time they saw little of Irye and Ryia and nothing of Ban. The few times they did encounter Irye or Ryia made them feel more cast into a dream world. Finally they began asking how to get home, but they got a very unsatisfying answer. "When the time comes all will come to you."

The tapestries grew to be more in number and beauty and the two missed home more, wondering how if ever to get back. It was on another sun-bathed day no different from the others that Aravilui had a simple thought. "Carmelor, we got here through the inn... you have to leave places when you go into them, otherwise you will always be in there."

Carmelor looked at the blond Elf, startled. "You might be right, but how to we get to the inn?"

Aravilui shrugged. Carmelor shook his head looking out the window, just then something caught his eye. He could have sworn he saw the waterfall in his first image of Rivendell moving. He got up and walked carefully toward the space between the bed and tapestry. The silver hair Elf gasped; the floor was beaded with droplets of water.

"Aravilui! These images… they come from our dreams, from dreaming the places we wish to be. We have been wishing to be in the wrong place," he said.

"Dreaming? That inn was no dream, it was a nightmare. Carmelor, I have little desire to dream of it. What if the horror is still there?"

Carmelor shrugged. "Do you want to go home? Just dream of going home."

Aravilui sighed exasperated. "That is all I have been dreaming of."

"No, you have been dreaming of Mirkwood. You have been dreaming of home, not going home. I think that might make all the difference." The two stared at each other in silence.

Aravilui smiled and nodded, Carmelor laughed, "Maybe we shall see home after all."


	5. 5 Are you ready?

Now as the days passed a new tapestry started forming, this one larger the others

Now as the days passed a new tapestry started forming, this one larger the others. It hung on the wall with the door leading out into the hallway. Their room in the inn started forming. Each night it was more and more realistic.

Finally one night as they stood in front of their tapestry watching it, they could smell warm food cooking, the scent coming from the scene. They looked at each other and understood. It was almost ready. They would be able to go back soon for better or worse.

That night they felt too anxious to sleep and went out into the halls. They came to the great room from their first night and there sat Ryia at the loom, weaving, and Irye sitting at a deep brown table, painting. The two unearthly hosts looked up at Carmelor and Aravilui smiling. They had been expecting them; that much was evident.

"This is our last night here, is it not." It wasn't really a question from Carmelor, they all knew. Irye nodded.

"What will be waiting for us on the other side?" He could not hide that fear any longer.

"_Gwanw,_" said Irye and Ryia together.

The two Elves looked at each other unsure of what to make of that but knowing they would get no more from the two. They bowed to their hosts.

"Farewell," said Carmelor softly.

"And thank you," added Aravilui. Irye and Ryia nodded.

"Until Valaroma's day," replied Irye as the two Elves turned to leave.

Carmelor stopped. "What..." he asked softly to himself; he shook his head and kept walking with Aravilui down the hall wondering at what they just heard.

They laid themselves down to bed one last time in the magnificent beds, thinking, dreaming only of going home and nothing else.

When the two awoke it was as dark outside as the first night they had come. The tapestry was no longer a tapestry but a window of sorts.

They both got up and walked to it; fear and hope racked their hearts, and they stood there a long while, unsure, but knowing deep inside what they needed to do. They took a step closer and the room around them seemed hazier as it though was it was made of thread. The closer they walked to the inn room window the more they lost the reality of the room they had been in until finally they could straggle no more. The next step took them back.

Carmelor looked at Aravilui.

"Ready for _Gwanw_?" he asked, both still unsure what the meant. Aravilui nodded and they took the step back into the room of the inn leaving behind the halls of Ban.


	6. 6 Home again

The Elves stood dazed in the room of the inn

The Elves stood dazed in the room of the inn. It was as pristine as it had been upon their first entrance. The curtains of the window were pulled to the sides and from outside the pale gold of the early morning sun's rays filled the room in great bars of light.

Carmelor sighed looking around. "Aravilui," he began seriously "I do not think anyone will ever believe us if we tell this story."

"And why in the Valar's names would we?" managed Aravilui in disbelief.

Wordlessly Carmelor turned and made his way out of the room, Aravilui following. He could not be sure but when he looked back down the hallway Carmelor thought he could no longer make out the outlines of the doors that should have been in the hallway. A similar problem occurred when they made it down the stair and the silver haired elf glimpsed back to find no evidence a second floor had ever existed.

As if on cue Ban entered the main hall of the inn. He said nothing, he stood tall and regal and it became clear to the Elves the first words should be theirs.

"You are Ban... Bannoth," stated Aravilui. It was not so much of a question at this point.

Ban nodded.

"Then why did you... you did save us, right?" asked Carmelor.

"Mayhap I wished to try something new." It was a jest. The Elves realized they would get no more real answers from him. The knowledge was neither theirs to ask nor his to give. They stood in silence for awhile. Finally…

"Where are we then?" Carmelor ventured, realizing that might be the only real question left.

"Somewhere no living being should be, a forsaken land ye came across." His voice seemed even more imposing now they knew him for who, what he was. "When thou makes to leave the inn turn back the way thou came and leave for home with all speed. Thou shall not look back nor speak until familiar lands are reached once more."

It was not a suggestion, it was a command. Both Elves knew better then to even consider disobeying.

Aravilui looked to Carmelor then Ban. Carmelor nodded and the two Elves made their way to the door. Outside two black horses awaited them; they had not come with horses but the beasts were theirs all the same. They mounted the chargers and made ready to leave. Carmelor took one last look at Ban knowing, hoping really he would not have to see him again, considering what the circumstances would have to be, and then they were off.

The great horses ran faster than even the Elven chargers of Mirkwood and Imladris. They seemed to fly upon the Earth. The Elves neither spoke nor looked back as they rode on, the world a green blur around them. Finally in the evening the outline of the Misty Mountains in a graying sky met them.

"Carmelor?" Aravilui started "Back in the halls... _His_ Halls when we did not feel whole... it was because we were... alive?"

Carmelor looked at his friend. They both knew it was so. He breathed out for what felt like the first time through the whole journey when a familiar, almost sweet scent filled his senses.

With a laugh Carmelor urged his mount into a run. A smile spread across Aravilui's as he too raced forward. The hooves of the horses pounded against grass that grew ever more lush and green as they went. Suddenly the lightly tree laden earth fell off into an almost vertical drop opening a full view to one of the most beautiful sights of Middle Earth.

"Home, dear Imladris," Carmelor sighed happily.

Aravilui laughed, "Well it is not Mirkwood, but it shall do."

The two rode laughing at full speed into the valley, almost running over a visiting Elleth from Lothlorien. She turned, her red hair lashing in the wind. "You two dolts had best slow down lest you fall and die!" she yelled after them.

Carmelor turned, grinning widely. "Ah but Death is our friend!"


End file.
